Sister Maria Rieckelman died on December 28^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 91 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.

She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 31^st, 1927 to Mary (Mathews) Rieckelman and Harry H. Rieckelman and given the name Alice. She had two sisters: Mary Louise and Edith and two brothers: Harry H. Jr. and Charles J.; all of whom have predeceased her.

In 1945, Alice graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Hyde Park, Cincinnati, OH. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, NY on September 6^th, 1945 from St. Mary’s Parish in Hyde Park (Cincinnati Diocese).  At her Reception into the community she received the religious name, Sister Maria Fidelis, which she retained throughout her religious life. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY and her Final Vows on March 7^th, 1951 also at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

From 1945-1947, Sister Maria studied at the Maryknoll Teachers College in Maryknoll, NY. In 1947, she transferred to the College of Mount St. Vincent in New York, NY where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1951.  She continued her studies at Marquette University School of Medicine (now known as The Medical College of Wisconsin) in Milwaukee, WI and graduated in 1955 earning her Doctor of Medicine Degree.  Sister Maria then began her internship in medicine and surgery at Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, OH from 1955-1956.

In 1956, she received her first overseas mission assignment to Pusan, Korea to do medical work. Then in 1958, Sister Maria was sent to Kowloon, Hong Kong where she studied language and supervised the building of Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital which opened in 1961. From 1963-1967, she served as the Hospital Administrator. She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where for two years she was instrumental in setting up new governance structures for the community life of the Sisters.

From 1971-1974, Sister Maria was assigned to Honolulu, Hawaii where she completed her Residency in both Adult and Child Psychiatry at the University of Hawaii.

She was then appointed as Coordinator of Health Services for the Church in the USA Office of Domestic Social Development at the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington, D.C from 1976-1977, .

Sister Maria remained in Washington, D.C., from 1978 – 2004, her “itinerant” ministry focused on doing Psychiatric Therapy and Spiritual Psychiatry to missioners and leaders in over 30 countries. This included: workshops, seminars, and retreats for communities and leadership groups of all faiths. She helped her participants face issues of interpersonal growth, leadership, trauma, stress, and interconnectedness, highlighted by women’s movement and ecological awareness. In 2006, she served as individual and workshop facilitator with members of the Maryknoll Society, Maryknoll Affiliates and Lay Missioners.

In 2007, Sister Maria returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY where she provided spiritual direction to people until 2014 when she retired.

Sister Maria donated her body to science. 

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Maria on Monday, January 21, 2018 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Funeral Mass will be held on January 22, at 11:00 a.m., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Sister Pauline M. Sticka died on December 7^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York.  She was 94 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 76 years.

Pauline was born on November 9^th, 1924 in Dickenson, North Dakota to Odelia (Frank) Sticka and Raphael Sticka.  She had four brothers and five sisters.

In 1942, Pauline graduated from Good Counsel Academy in Mankato, Minnesota.   She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Ossining, NY from St. Mary’s, in New England (Diocese of Bismark, North Dakota) on September 2^nd, 1942.  At her Reception into the Congregation she received the religious name Sister M. Paul Therese.  She made her First Profession of Vows at the Maryknoll Sisters Center on March 7^th, 1945 and her Final Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948, in China.

Sister Pauline remained at the Maryknoll Sisters Center after making her First Profession of Vows and worked at the Seminary kitchen. In 1947, she received her first overseas assignment to Kaying, China to do catechetical work. In December, 1950 she was placed under house arrest by the Communist Regime until 1951, when she was expelled from China and returned to the US. She served for the next several years in the Development Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center and then did pastoral ministry in Chinatown, in Chicago, IL.

In 1955, Sister Pauline was assigned to Changhua, Taiwan where she did language study for two years and was then assigned to Puli, Taiwan where she did parish ministry until 1967. In 1970, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to study at Mary Rogers College and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community Service in 1973. Sister Pauline then returned to Hsinchu and then Chiayi, Taiwan where she spent the next twenty years doing religious education, family seminars, pastoral work, building Basic Christian Communities, facilitating Marriage Encounter Activities, and began a new neighborhood presence ministry to live among the people and get to know who they were.

In 1994 she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to work as Office Assistant to the Main House Council until 1997. That same year she returned to Taiwan where she again served the people in pastoral care, home visits and community ministry, first in Kaohsiung and later in Taichung until 2006. From 2006-2007, she staffed the Regional House and did neighborhood ministry. In 2008, Sister Pauline returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the Sisters house in Monrovia, CA.  On December 1^st, 2014 she retired at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.

A Wake and Vespers service will be held in the Annunciation Chapel of the Maryknoll Sisters Center at Maryknoll, NY on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 4:15 P.M. 

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, December 14, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. also in Annunciation Chapel. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery.

Sister Irene E. Solzbacher, medical doctor, and psychiatrist, died on November 29th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.  She was 84 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 65 years.

Irene was born on June 21st, 1934 in Luxemberg City, Luxemberg to Regina (Reiff) Solzbacher and William A. Solzbacher. She had three sisters, Josephine, Regina and Eve all of whom are still living.

In 1952, Irene graduated from Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in Greenwich, CT and then attended Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY from 1952 – 1953. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 2nd, 1953 from St. Barnabas Parish in Yonkers, NY.  Irene made her First Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1956 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Profession of Vows in Honolulu, HI on March 7th, 1962.

From 1958-1961, Sister Irene studied at Maryknoll Teachers College where she earned a Bachelor of Education Degree.  She then received her first mission assignment to Hawaii, there she earned a Master’s of Education Degree in Physical Science at the University of Hawaii in 1965 and taught Math, Science and Religion at the Maryknoll High School in Honolulu, HI until 1970. Sister Irene decided she wanted to begin her studies in the medical field, from 1970-1971 she was a medical student at Kuhio Park Terrace Project, in Honolulu and was also a part-time research assistant and taught catechetics.  She then began studying at the University of Hawaii Medical School and earned a Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1975.

From 1975-1978, Sister Irene served in a Psychiatric Residency at the University of Hawaii.  She was then assigned to Waianae Mental Health Clinic to work as a Psychiatrist and also served as Director/Director of Social Services at Kahumana Counseling Center in Maili, Oahu from 1979-2000. Sister Irene then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY and served as a volunteer/medical companion in the Out Patient Clinic from 2001 until 2014 when she retired.

Sister Irene has generously donated her body to science.

A Vespers Service will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 4:15 P.M. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 4:00 P.M., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation.

Sister Mary Doretta Leonard died on November 27^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 93 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.

Mary was born in New York City on June 26^th, 1925 to Mary (Burnell) Leonard and Anthony Leonard; she was baptized as Anne Therese. She had one brother, Edward who has predeceased her.

In 1943, Mary graduated from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in Brooklyn, NY and then studied at Fordham School of Education from 1944-1945. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 6^th, 1945 from St. Francis Assisi Parish in Astoria, NY (Diocese of Brooklyn). At her Reception into the Congregation she received the religious name, Sister Doretta. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY and her Final Profession on March 7^th, 1951 in China.

In 1948, Sister Doretta received her first overseas mission assignment to China, not knowing she would serve there for the next 50 years on and off. She first arrived to Wuchow, China to study language for one year and then began her ministry in catechetical work in 1950.   The political situation in Wuchow required Sister Doretta to transfer to Hong Kong, there she continued her work as a catechist until 1968. She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY to study at Mary Rogers College, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Adult Education in 1970. After earning her degree, Sister Doretta returned to Hong Kong to continue doing catechetical work until 1977.  From 1977-1980, she was assigned to the Development Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY.

In 1980, Sister Doretta became a parish team member at St. Stephen’s Church, where she did Pastoral ministry in Hong Kong for the next nine years. In 1989, she was assigned to do congregational service at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY, serving as receptionist and working in the Congregational Archives Department.

Sister Doretta once again returned to China in 1992 to do pastoral work; first in Macau until 1995 and then transferring to Hong Kong where she did part-time volunteer work visiting the sick and elderly.  In 2005, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY to retire, but remained an active volunteer serving as a member of the Pastoral Care Team.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Mary Doretta at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Assumption on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

 A funeral Mass will follow on Friday, November 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Center.

 Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.

Sister Josephine Lo Presti M.M. died on November 13th, 2018  at  the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.  She was 93 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 69 years.

Josephine was was born on October 10th, 1925 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Augustine (Rinella) Lo Presti and Joseph Lo Presti.  She had four brothers, and three sisters.  All have predeceased her except two of her sisters, Margaret Lo Presti and Pearl (Mrs. Pearl Zucchero).

In 1944, Josephine graduated from St. Joseph’s College High School in Toronto. She remained in Toronto and attended St. Michael’s Hospital School of Nursing; she graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1947.  She later attended nursing courses for one semester at The University of Western Ontario in 1969.  

Josephine entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY on September 6th, 1949 from St. Basil Parish in Toronto, Canada.  She made her First Profession of  Vows at The Maryknoll Sisters Center on March 7th, 1952 and her Final Profession of Vows in Arequipa, Peru on March 7th, 1955.

Sister Josephine remained at the Maryknoll Sisters Center after making her First Profession of Vows, there she worked in the Center Infirmary until 1953. She then received her first overseas assignment to the Bolivia/Peru region to attend language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia; after a year of studying she began teaching second and third grade in Puno, Peru from 1954-1957.

From 1957-1967, Sister Josephine was assigned to Riberalta, Bolivia where she initiated and directed the Practical School of Nursing; which provided practical nurses to staff the hospital in Riberalta and clinics in the distant river communities.

In 1967, she was assigned to the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Arequipa, Peru, where she joined the Faculty of the School of Nursing. There she trained nurses, taught clinical education and developed training modules. In 1970, the Catholic University of Santa Maria, in Arequipa, Peru, granted her a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in recognition of her work experience in Medicine and Public Health, and a thesis of such merit that the University canceled all need for additional courses and requirements.

Sister Josephine returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY to serve in the Center Infirmary from 1972-1974. She then returned to Arequipa, Peru to serve people in community health & rehabilitation and founded a Family Life Center (CORFAM).

In 2001, she returned to the United States and joined the Sisters Community in Monrovia, CA. After a few years, due to declining health, she had to return to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, NY; where she remained until her death.

A Vespers Service will be held on Monday, November 19, 2018 at 4:15 P.M. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 11:00 A.M., also in the Chapel of the Annunciation. 

Interment will follow at the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Maryknoll Center grounds.

Sister Barbara Ann Walenty died on October 24^th, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.  She was 90 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 61 years.

Barbara Ann was born in Detroit, MI on May 26^th, 1928 to Anna (Starr) Walenty and Anthony Walenty and was baptized in St. Ladislaus Parish in Hamtramck, MI.  She had four brothers John, Patrick, Tom, Donald and two sisters Gloria and Colleen.  Barbara Ann graduated from Mackenzie High School in Detroit, MI in 1946. She then attended Providence Hospital School of Nursing in Detroit, MI, where she earned an R.N. Degree. She then worked as a nurse at Detroit Memorial Hospital for two years and at Highland Park Hospital for three years.

Barbara Ann entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO on December 30^th, 1956 from St. Brigid’s Parish in Detroit, MI.  At her Reception she received the religious name Sister Rose Barbara. She made her First Profession of Vows on August 22^nd, 1959 in Valley Park, MO, and her Final Profession of Vows on August 22^nd, 1965 in Hong Kong.

After her First Profession of Vows, Sister Barbara was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. There she worked as Guest Mistress and in the laundry room until her assignment to Kansas City, Queen of the World Hospital where she worked as Operating Room Supervisor until 1963.  That same year, she received her first overseas assignment to Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. There she studied Cantonese and served at Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital as Operating Room Supervisor until 1970.  From 1970-1972, Sister Barbara continued to serve at the hospital as: Clinical Instructor, Supervisor of the Student Nurse Hostel, and established the Student Nursing Program. In 1973, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in NY and worked in the Supportive Services Department before joining the Maryknoll Sisters Eastern United States Region in 1974. She was first assigned to Boston, Chinatown where she taught English as a Second Language and worked at the Chinatown Clinic and Tufts Medical Center from 1974 – 1975.

From 1976 – 1978, she lived in Transfiguration Parish in New York Chinatown, and worked in Cabrini Hospital Nursing Home, and at the Maryknoll Center Health Services. In 1979, she was assigned to St Theresa School in Chicago, Chinatown, where she served as School Nurse, Teachers Aid and taught “Alcohol & Drug Education” (ADE) until 1986. That same year she returned to Hamtramck, MI to care for her elderly parents.

From 1995-1997, Sister Barbara worked in the Maryknoll Sisters Development Departments Mid-West Education/Promotion Office. In 1999, she returned to Chicago, IL to retire, but continued to volunteer as a part-time CCD Teacher and Art Teacher with children at St. Theresa’s School. In 2008, she moved to Fraser, MI and continued to volunteer doing family ministry and pastoral work.  In 2014, Sister Barbara returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, where she remained until her death.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Barbara Ann on Monday, November 12, 2018 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.

A Mass of Resurrection will follow on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Maryknoll Sisters Chapel.

Sister Maria Rosario Daley died on October 18^th, 2018 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was 95 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.

She was born in Albany, New York on February 1^st, 1923 to Margaret (Harpinger) Daley and John H. Daley; she was baptized as Regina Anne. She had three sisters, Veronica, Rose and Joan and one brother, Rev. James D. Daley. Her parents and sister Joan have predeceased her.

In 1941, Regina graduated from Holy Names Academy in Albany, New York.  She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, New York from St. Thomas Parish in Delmar, New York (Albany Diocese) on September 6^th, 1945.   At her Reception, she received the religious name Sister Maria Rosario. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York and her Final Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1951 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

From 1941-1945, Sister Maria Rosario studied at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Latin and Mathematics.  In 1967, she earned a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Boston College and in 1974 she earned her second Master’s degree in Theology at the Maryknoll Seminary, in Maryknoll, New York.  Sister Maria Rosario then studied computer science in 1977 at Pace University in Westchester County, New York.

In 1948, Sister Maria Rosario was assigned to the Hawaii Islands, for the next 17 years she taught in the Maryknoll high school in Punahou on Oahu, at St. Ann’s High School in Kaneihe also on Oahu and at St. Anthony’s School in Wailuku on Maui.  In 1967, she returned to Maryknoll, New York to serve as a member of the faculty at Mary Rogers College where she taught Mathematics and worked in the Admissions Office until 1973.  She was then assigned to the Treasury Department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center to serve as Coordinator of Lay Employee Personnel and the Office of Immigration from 1974-1985.

In 1985, Sister Maria Rosario returned to Hawaii, where she served as Diocesan Computer Consultant, taught a Scripture course and worked with Eucharistic Ministers at Sacred Heart Parish in Punahou until 1989.  In the years that followed, she remained in Hawaii and worked at Maryknoll High School, was Lay Personnel Director and Computer Consultant for the Diocese of Honolulu.

From 1997-2003, Sister Maria Rosario continued to do part time clerical work in the Maryknoll High School Guidance Office and served as sexton, sacristan and Eucharistic Minister for the Manoa-Punahou Catholic Community. She retired in 2014, but remained an active volunteer.

A Viewing at 9:00 a.m. and Mass of the Resurrection at 10:00 a.m. will be held for Sister Maria Rosario on November 12 at Sacred Heart Parish, Punahou, Honolulu followed by interment at Diamond Head Cemetery.